An order from the Plainfield Township Board of Supervisors to scale back police presence at the district's middle school leaves the building vulnerable and puts students at risk, the school's top administrator said today.

Pen Argyl Area School District Superintendent William Haberl blasted the internal memo, written by supervisors on March 28, calling for all Plainfield Township police officers to visit Wind Gap Middle School only during bus arrival and departure, as well as emergency calls.

The memo was signed by all five supervisors and written to Plainfield Township police Chief Dean Ceraul and his department.

Any violation of the order will be deemed "failure to obey" and can result in suspension, Haberl said the memo stated.

"Everybody was nervous after the Sandy Hook killings," Haberl said, referring to the Dec. 14 massacre of 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Haberl noted that since that shooting, the district has upgraded security at all three of its schools.

Supervisors are "putting the schools at risk now that it's out there in the public," he said.

In the statement released today by supervisors the board said it could no longer afford the resource officer unless the district was able to fund a significant portion of the cost. When the district couldn't fund their part, supervisors allege Haberl also was told the result would be no officer stationed at district’s schools, except during arrival and dismissal times or upon request for emergency assistance.

"The board takes the safety and security of all of our residents, including our country and township’s most precious resource, our children, incredibly seriously," the statement says. "Toward that end, the township spends more money each year on public safety than on any other township department."

Seeking police presence

Haberl says that after the resource officer was removed and following the Newtown tragedy, he met with both Ceraul and Pen Argyl police Chief David Strawn -- the high school is in Pen Argyl -- and asked the chiefs to come up with ways to maintain a police presence.

Plainfield Township officers followed the meeting by patrolling the middle school randomly. Officers also would take part in lock-down drills, meetings and tours, where they could point out security concerns, Haberl said.

"We've been meeting with the police chiefs on a monthly basis and now, since they're not allowed, they can't go to meetings anymore," Haberl said. "They can't come in for lock-down drills ... they can only be here if it's a 911 emergency. It's nonsense. It's unbelievable."

Supervisors said in the statement they were unaware of any agreement between the district and police and nothing had been presented to the board. Ceraul declined to comment except to say police liaisons on the board knew about the lock-down drills.

Strawn said the issue does not affect his department and he continues to send officers to the high school almost daily.

"We go to the school as much as possible -- we walk through the high school when we can," he said. "We try to get in there once a day ... and keep the school safe."